Few students at the Australian National University would have been alive when pinball and arcade games were all the rage, but a new free hangout for them is all about old-school fun, from Pac Man to Donkey Kong, air hockey to AC/DC pinnies.
"This one is two years older than me," second year business management student Lauren Humphries said happily, as she played one of the games on the pinnies.
Game On is a new free games arcade at Kambri at ANU, featuring pinball and arcade machines, air hockey, ping pong and more, giving students a relaxing place to chill.
The vibrant pop-up in Joplin Lane opened on Thursday, free to use for all ANU students, staff and visitors. And also the general public.
The space includes specially commissioned large-scale artworks created by current and former students from the ANU School of Art and Design.
There is also a wall to which visitors can add their own contribution with chalk or stickers, prompted by the beginning "I am inspired by ...".
The early contributions to the wall on Thursday included "being back on campus!" and "wordle", showing it is already capturing the zeitgeist.
Kambri precinct general manager Nicole Short said Game On would be a "stress-free haven to game, socialise, and be immersed in creativity" for staff and students.
"We're also going to open it up to the community as well," Mrs Short said.
It comes as students start to return to campus and welcome-back festivities ramp up during O Week starting on February 14.
Game On had opened in time for the students returning to campus for hopefully a COVID-interruption-free year of learning.
"Starting from next week, we will have a lot of students back on campus and we envisage this space will be incredibly busy," Mrs Short said.
Arts/law student Sophie Jaggar, 22, who is graduating on Monday, said there was a buzz in the air because people were excited to have a return to face-to-face teaching on campus.
She said in a way, 2022 would be a case of "three lots of first years" for the students from 2020 and 2021 who missed out on so much on-campus life due to lockdown.
"I think people are super keen to get back," she said.
Essentially a contemporary arcade parlour with a vintage feel, Game On is designed to be "student-owned and relevant".
Joplin Lane is also evolving as the go-to place with its range of eateries, shops and regular activations including Music in the Lane (every Friday from noon to 2pm), plus the first three hours parking free on weekends.
Game On is produced and curated by aMBUSH Gallery Canberra. It will be open seven days a week. Opening hours are 10am until 4pm daily.
The current and former SOAD students commissioned to create artworks in Game On are known for work that is both meaningful and inspirational, often reflecting topical themes. The artists are Faith Kerehona @faithsprays , Izak Bink @izaak.bink , Samantha Corbett @samanthacorbett_art , Georgia Kamvissis @_giorgi_o_ and Natasha Pidlock @artbytashpidcock
Visit www.ambushgallery.com for more information, and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition updates.
